Staff WriterIf the La Sella Open were a classroom, Anna Huang would be that annoyingly brilliant kid who aces every test and still looks like she’s barely trying.
The 19-year-old Canadian hasn’t just turned up in Spain—she’s taken the leaderboard hostage, carding back-to-back bogey-free rounds in the humid Mediterranean air to stroll three shots clear of France’s Nastasia Nadaud at the halfway mark.
Huang is 14-under and walking with the swagger of someone who hasn’t seen a bogey all week. “I think my ball striking these past few days has been really good; I’m bogey-free so far, so that’s a new record for me,” she said, brushing off the kind of form most players would bottle and sell if they could.
“Just being able to hit the fairways and greens is I think the most important thing out here, because the rough is pretty tough.”
As for the small matter of leading into the weekend? “Yeah, I’m trying not to think about it too much, though, just because I don’t want any added pressure; I’m just going to play my own game and not think about the scoreboard too much.”
Nadaud Keeps Chase with a Helping Hand
Hot on her heels is Nadaud, who birdied her final hole for a 5-under 67, keeping herself in range despite a rocky start. “It’s been a great day. Today I started off pretty bad. I had that free putt on the first, I think, a two-feet putt, and then made it back for the birdie on three,” she admitted.
“It’s been a pretty windy afternoon to be honest, so it wasn’t really easy, but I managed to get my way through it and get a couple birdies in.”
Her secret weapon? A caddie with a Tour card of her own. Nadaud has fellow pro Michele Thomson carrying the bag this week, and the Scot’s presence is proving more than just moral support.
“It definitely helps (having her here); she knows what a player expects and she’s also from Scotland as well so I think she’s also used to the wind, so she knows better than me how to calculate into wind or downwind. I think it’s a real advantage.”
Iturrioz Finds Her Rhythm
Local favourite Nuria Iturrioz, fresh off her fifth Ladies European Tour (LET) title in Houston, clawed her way back into the conversation with four birdies in a row to sit at 6-under.
“I thought it was pretty easy (today)! Yesterday I missed some putts, I didn’t end up on the greens but today I felt great,” she said. “I hit really good shots from the tee with the driver and the irons also because I was on the fairway, so it was better than being in the rough here.”
Still, even champions are human. “I’m feeling great, of course, because I’m doing good the past weeks; I’m a bit more tired than in Houston, but I’m just trying to be calm and this afternoon I’m going to enjoy some tapas in the city.”
Order of Merit: Tan and Rhodes in the Spotlight
The La Sella Open is also turning up the heat in the LET’s season-long Order of Merit race. Shannon Tan, sitting second in the standings with two wins this season, edged one shot lower than yesterday to close at 7-under.
Mimi Rhodes, the current OOM leader, remained at 2-under after a round that looked more like a rollercoaster blueprint—four birdies and a double bogey.
Tan, however, isn’t getting carried away. “I’m quite happy with the past two days, like the way I’ve played and I mean, just overall, I think I’m just focused on just giving my best and having fun this week.
We’ve been hosted really well (at La Sella) and I think all the players really enjoy this week.”
On her plan for the weekend, she kept it simple: “I think probably go out there and do more of the same, have fun out there, hit the greens and hope the putts drop.”
Spanish Spark: Lopez-Chacarra Makes the Cut
Rising star Carolina Lopez-Chacarra gave Spanish fans a thrill by making the cut in her LET debut. The 22-year-old amateur fired an eagle on the second hole, finishing tied for 36th.
“I think my favourite hole was two today! I played it really nice and it was actually the first putt outside six feet that I made in the last two days so I was happy with that and then it gave me some momentum to keep fighting to make that cut.”
More Than Just a Tournament
The La Sella Open has quickly earned its place as a cornerstone of the women’s game, voted Tournament of the Year by players in 2023 and Best Player Services in 2024.
It also boasts the largest purse for a women’s event in Spain and one of the biggest in Europe, proof that this isn’t just another week on the schedule—it’s a showcase for how high women’s golf can climb when it’s given the stage it deserves.
And with Huang, Nadaud, Tan, and Iturrioz all throwing punches, the weekend promises to be a fiesta of birdies, bogey-free brilliance, and maybe even a few tapas-fuelled charges up the leaderboard.
